General Motors sold more certified used vehicles in March than Toyota Division and trails the import automaker by just 558 units for the quarter.

GM is making good on its promise to pursue certified used-vehicle sales aggressively. GM's goal is to double certified sales to 200,000 units this year.

Toyota and its dealers sold a record 20,025 certified used vehicles in March. Year-to-date sales through March totaled 59,296 vehicles.

GM sold 22,448 certified used vehicles in March. That brought its certified used-vehicle sales for the first three months to 58,738 units.

GM's numbers do not include Cadillac, Saab and Saturn.

GM has about 3,000 dealerships that sell certified used vehicles. Toyota holds to its lead with one brand. It has 1,014 certified used-car dealerships.

"With tremendous support from our dealers, this program is really taking off," said Bill Lovejoy, GM's group vice president for sales, service and marketing.

Honda Division, which was No. 2 in certified used vehicles in 2001 after Toyota, was in third place after the the first quarter with 37,561 units. Honda sold 14,055 certified used cars and trucks in March.

Ford Division sold 6,159 certified used vehicles in March for a total of 15,411 for the first quarter. Lincoln Mercury sold about 3,000 vehicles in March and 8,933 for the quarter.

BMW, the best-selling luxury brand of certified vehicles in 2001, held on to that lead in the first quarter. BMW sold 12,407 certified used vehicles, 31 percent ahead of its year-ago numbers.

Lexus was the No. 2 luxury brand in the first quarter, beating Mercedes-Benz by just 172 units. Lexus sold 10,833 certified used vehicles through March. Mercedes-Benz sold 10,661.

Acura sold 2,415 certified used vehicles in March and 6,421 in the first quarter.